Fugitive Nikos Maziotis, a prominent member of “Revolutionary Struggle”, was captured on Wednesday morning in downtown Athens, Greek media report. In clashes with police in one of Athens most crowded shopping streets, Maziotis, one policeman and one Australian tourist were injured. Media incl state television report also of a ‘second injured tourist” giving his nationality as “German” or “American”.
There are several scenarios about what exactly happened and how the gunshot exchange with police occurred -but they all tend to be ‘scenarios’ until the police makes an official statement on the case.
According to initial reports, Maziotis together with two accomplices were trying to rob a bank in Monastiraki area. However, private Mega TV reported at 2 pm news that Maziotis was in a shop to buy a back-bag when anti-terror policemen identified him.
Ermou & Athinas Street in touristic area Monastiraki
Nevertheless, during the exchange of gunshots between the Maziotis and police, Maziotis tried to escape and reportedly hurled also a hand grenade. Its fragments injured one policeman.
“The Australian tourist is a young man from Australia. He told me, he was eating with a friend at a restaurant in Monastiraki, he heard gunshots, he stood up, suddenly a bullet was stuck in his leg. It is not clear whether the bullet is from a policeman’s gun. His injury is not considered serious.” (reporter on Mega TV)
Maziotis was injured and captured by police. He is currently in an Athens hospital awaiting surgery.
In hospitals are also the policeman, the one Australian tourist. Quite a number of media report of a second injured tourist – apparently a German – but not further details available as I write this post.
According to eye witnesses and policemen who took part in the operation, Maziotis was wearing a wing and shorts.
Injured Maziotis was transferred to hospital – the wing left behind….
A police source said that DIAS motorcycled units were nearby when they received a alert to rush to Mitropoleos street where a highly dangerous criminal was spotted. Policemen asked him to stop and give his identification but Maziotis reportedly took out a gun and started to shoot around.
Citing police sources, Mega TV reports that police arrested a suspect of being Maziotis’ accomplice as he was standing nearby.
The incident and gunshot exchange occurred short after 12:30 on Wednesday, the area is still cordoned by police while investigation continues.
UPDATES 3 pm
1) Greek police dismissed media reports that
a. Maziotis hurled a hand grenade against policemen.
b. The incident took place while he was about to rob a bank.
Greek police confirms that the incident occurred when he visited a shop with travel items.
2) State TV reported that “when in the shop, Maziotis had a gun in his pants back pocket and that a woman who saw it rushed to nearby motorcycled police units DIAS and informed them about the “armed man”. It is not clear whether the woman was a shop worker or a client.
Nikos Maziotis
Nikos Maziotis is considered to be the mastermind of urban guerrilla group “Revolutionary Struggle”. Together with his partner Panagiota Roupa, Maziotis arrested but both were released from custody in October 2011, under restriction measures. They had to be released after 18 months in custody had not take them into trial. Maziotis and Roupa went underground since their release.
sources: ProtoThema, NewsIt, Zougla,gr, inewsgr,
